![]() ![]() ![]() The illustration which Paul uses is a physical body. But it starts with an attitude of humility. A church functions properly when its members, with different spiritual gifts, exercise those gifts in a way that honors Christ. This is done as a whole unit of Christians in the body of Christ, but also in smaller units we call the local church. We work together to form a good functioning body. Each one of us have been placed by Christ into His body of believers. You are not the one who saved you, Christ is. Yet, because of gratefulness we should want to live a Christ-like life. Again, we are not obligated to live this way because our salvation does not depend on it. Paul begins a treatise on how a mature Christian should live. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity he that ruleth, with diligence he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.” ![]() ![]() For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. Spiritual Gifts Emerge When We Display a Right Attitude Towards Others – Romans 12:3-8 Paul begins to lay out some very practical ways we can obey God’s plan in the following verses. Thankfully, we are not left wondering what God’s plan is. However, in light of Romans chapters 1-11, it is reasonable (verse 1) to want to know this plan of God for your life. Of course, there is no obligation to obey God, otherwise our salvation would still be based on works. Submit your thoughts to Him and the practical outworking of that will be to follow God’s plan that He has already designed for you. “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”ĭon’t allow the world to shape you. There are many practical points to daily Christian living which begin in Romans 12 and continue to the end of the book. It is natural to want to thank God for your salvation by turning your life over to Him. Paul says that because of the information that has been presented up to this point, he proposes that it is reasonable that one would be completely sold out to God as a sacrifice to be used in whatever manner God chooses. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” This is exactly where Paul picks up in Romans 12:1. However, a natural result of this salvation is to live a life pleasing to God. There are many practical points to daily Christian living which begin in Romans 12 and continue to the end of the book.Īs you study through the book of Romans, and particularly chapter 12 and following, it is important to note that salvation is through God’s grace and not our works. However, this chapter begins to deal with how a Christian ought to live out his salvation. In the previous chapters the main emphasis in the book was why we need a Savior and how we can accept Him. Romans chapter 12 is a turning point in the book of Romans. ![]()
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